


Work with Akaashi

by 104



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Domestic, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Reader-Insert, Romance, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27583319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/104/pseuds/104
Summary: I hadn’t been working at the office for very long when I first met Akaashi.“Yuu, is it?”I jumped. I’d been watching a volleyball match at my desk during a break, so I turned around sure I was about to be lectured. It was another editor I’d been introduced to when I first started, but I couldn’t remember his name for the life of me. Which might about to be very short. I couldn’t quite decipher the expression on his face, but it looked cold.“Yes!”He nodded to it.“Which match are you watching?”“The MSBY Black Jackals versus Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler…”His expression changed again. “I used to set for Bokuto in high school.”“YOU USED TO SET FOR BOKUTO ON THE BLACK JACKALS?!?!  That’s amazing!” I studied the picture on the screen like it might reveal something to me. To think that someone at the office knew such a star athlete…He nodded back at the screen. “Would you like to see their match on Saturday? The Black Jackals versus the Suntory Sunbirds?”“Really?!”He nodded. “I can get the tickets.”In this self-insert, you are an editor working at the same publishing company as Akaashi. Meant as an alternate version of events to "Life with Bokuto!"
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji & Reader, Akaashi Keiji/Reader
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! You may notice that a lot of the story is taken from "Life with Bokuto" - I do apologize for that. I wanted to preserve the scenes where Yuu, Akaashi, and Bokuto meet; nevertheless, it is a story centered around Akaashi. There will be more original content in the next chapter - in the meantime, happy reading!

I hadn’t been working at the office for very long when I first met Akaashi.  
“Yuu, is it?”  
I jumped. I’d been watching a volleyball match at my desk during a break, so I turned around sure I was about to be lectured. It was another editor I’d been introduced to when I first started, but I couldn’t remember his name for the life of me. Which might about to be very short. I couldn’t quite decipher the expression on his face, but it looked cold.  
“Yes!”  
I waited for the death blow, but instead he asked, “Are you a volleyball fan?”  
His eyes seemed to soften a little, though it might just have been my imagination.  
“Oh! Um…this is a bit embarrassing, but when I was in high school I was obsessed with a volleyball anime…I started watching real matches after that.” I realized the video was still playing in the background and paused it. A black jersey flashed on the screen.  
He nodded to it.  
“Which match are you watching?”  
“The MSBY Black Jackals versus Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler…”  
His expression changed again. “I used to play with their spiker in high school.”  
“Which spiker?” I asked.  
“Bokuto.”  
“THIS BOKUTO?!?!” I gasped, jabbing the screen where the ace himself was conveniently frozen mid-leap.  
“Yes. I used to set for him.”  
“YOU USED TO SET FOR BOKUTO ON THE BLACK JACKALS?!?!”  
I heard a sharp “Shhh!” from one of the other cubicles. Who else was watching volleyball at their desk during a lunch break? I lowered my voice.  
I whispered, “You used to set for Bokuto on the Black Jackals?!?!”  
He nodded. “He was…quite moody.”  
“That’s amazing!” I studied the picture on the screen like it might reveal something to me. To think that someone at the office knew such a star athlete…  
“Do you still play?” I turned back to him.  
“No. I realized my true passion was copyediting.”

I thought he might be deadpanning, but just in case I said, “I see…”  
He pivoted. “How do you like it here?”  
“It’s great! I haven’t met many people yet though.”  
“Remind me to introduce you to Udai. He’s always working on an interesting project.”  
“Zombie Knight Zom’bish Udai?!”  
He nodded, then hesitated. With the sense that he was about to admit something embarrassing, he said, “To be completely honest, I originally wanted to be in the literature department.”  
“Oh…”  
“But I see you love manga.”  
“Well…I’ve always wanted to be involved with it.”  
“It’s good to do what you love.” Was he smiling?  
He nodded back at the screen. “Would you like to see their match on Saturday? The Black Jackals versus the Suntory Sunbirds?”  
“Really?!”  
He nodded. “I can get the tickets.”

I’d assumed that he’d only approach me again closer to the date, but to my surprise he stopped by again the next day.  
I stopped typing as he approached.  
“Want to get something to eat?” he asked.  
“Sure! Do you have anywhere in mind?”  
“There’s a good place about two blocks from here. Sometimes the office goes there for special occasions.”  
“How long have you been working here?” he said curiously as I gathered my stuff.  
“About a month.”  
“Then think of it as your one-month anniversary!”  
“What about the beginning of a beautiful new friendship?” I suggested as I stood up.  
He blinked. “Yes…that sounds much better.”

About half an hour later, we were sitting at a table waiting for our food.  
“So, Akaashi, you met Bokuto during high school?” I didn’t want volleyball to be the only thing we talked about, but it did seem the most relevant.  
He nodded. “He was a year ahead of me. Pretty intense, too…people had a hard time keeping up with him.”  
“But not you?”  
He hesitated a bit. “When you work with a star, the best you can do is help them shine.”  
I wasn’t sure if I agreed with that, but for the moment I nodded.  
“What about you, Yuu? Were you involved in any clubs in high school? College?” He hastily changed the subject.  
“Ah…clubs? Nothing very interesting. I was an editor for the school newspaper.”  
At the surprised look on his face, I laughed. “Don’t look so impressed. My friend Ami made me join with her, but then she quit! I just had to tough it out by myself.”  
I sipped my drink.  
“She’s a fashion designer now. We share an apartment. Her office is pretty close, so she promised to bail me out sometime!”  
“Then it’s a good thing we know each other now,” he said.  
After a pause, he added, “It’s nice that you’re still close.”  
“Are you close with Bokuto?”  
I realized that this question might be a little too personal, but thankfully he replied.  
“Too close, sometimes.”  
“Too close?”  
“Yes. I help him with his taxes.”

We had lunch a few more times after that, and he re-introduced me to Tsuna, who’d done my initial training.  
“Ah, you should have sought me out again!” she said. “But I see Akaashi’s taken you under his wing.”  
She smiled mischievously. “He’s quite the looker, isn’t he?”  
“Tsuna!” I gasped.  
“Just pulling your leg! I love rookies.” She sighed. “But he’s relatively new here as well.”  
“Really?” I asked. From the way he behaved, I thought he’d worked here forever.  
“Yes. He’s only been here for a year or two.” She tapped her chin. “On the other hand, I’ve been here…how long? Six, seven years...”  
She sighed. “Anyway, it’s been too long.”  
“That doesn’t bode well for me,” I joked.  
“No, no! I love the job, but it goes fast. Blink and you miss it. The piece I’m working on now won't let me go, though. Do you think they’ll ever make a manga about editors?” she asked earnestly. “With some office romance to spice things up?”  
I stared. “Well…that would certainly be an idea.”

On the day of the match, we met outside the stadium. I’d only ever seen a friend’s volleyball matches in high school before, and the fact that thousands of people could be packed into the same place to watch a game awed me. Fans streamed in on either side in a black-and-white current.  
“It’s amazing.”  
I looked at Akaashi.  
“You don’t look impressed,” I joked.  
He smiled. “It is amazing.”

As we filed into our seats, I asked, “Do you come to matches often?”  
“When I can. My schedule isn’t always conducive. But Bokuto gives me a ticket when I need it.”  
I was about to ask whether I should be thanking him or Bokuto for the ticket today when the game suddenly began. The Black Jackals trotted out to their positions.  
There he was! As Bokuto turned over his shoulder (that piercing gaze! That hair!), I wondered if he knew Akaashi was in the stands. If it motivated him. I hoped it did.

The game began. The volleys were so fast I felt like I was barely breathing. I didn’t know how anyone had time to cheer. 

I gasped. “Hinata!”  
I meant to elaborate, but finally I just turned to Akaashi hoping my tone would express the thought for me. I’d seen it on TV, but then again I’d never realized exactly how high the net was…  
He laughed. “It’s always a shock to see his jump for the first time.”

The Black Jackals took the first set 25-23 and I saw Akaashi fist pump, which made me laugh.  
However, during the second set I found myself looking at Akaashi to gauge his reaction more and more. It was entertaining. He seemed to be analyzing the court, his mouth set in a slight frown. I wondered if his old habits as a setter were resurfacing, and again I wondered if he missed it. I turned back to the game.

The Black Jackals won after a nerve-wracking fourth set. At one point both sides made so many receives I imagined the ball would never touch the ground and we would be sitting watching in the stands forever. Which honestly didn’t sound that bad. But finally Hinata was able to land a spike and the Black Jackal fans erupted.  
As Akaashi and I were waiting in line for the stairs he asked, “So? What did you think?”  
“There were so many volleys…their reaction time is insane. Is it always like this?”  
He laughed. “I don’t really think I can compare a high school match to a professional one, but yes, I do remember it going pretty quickly. There are certain times that seem to slow down, though…”  
He hesitated. “Would you like to meet him?”  
“Meet Bokuto?”  
I realized I was holding up the line and automatically started up the stairs.  
“Are you serious? He wouldn’t mind?”  
He shook his head.  
“Won’t he be celebrating?”  
He paused. “He actually asked to do something after the match tonight. A few of the team members are busy, so they’re not going out. Are you free?”  
“Akaashi, I watch volleyball during my breaks. Of course I’m free! Are you serious?”  
He nodded.  
At the worst time, too! I’d run out of contacts earlier in the week, so I was wearing what my friends fondly termed my librarian glasses. I was also repping the Black Jackals in the form of a headband and robe. I’d felt a little silly when I saw Akaashi outside the stadium in his normal clothes, but the feeling had dissipated sitting amongst the other fans. Now, though?  
No! I couldn’t give up this opportunity just because I was wearing some merch! Unless he thought I was crazy…  
But then we reached the top of the stairs and I lost the chance to protest.

We’d been waiting for about thirty minutes when I finally decided to say something.  
“Akaashi, I don’t think-”  
“Hey hey hey!” An energetic voice rang out from behind us and I slowly turned around. This had to be a dream. Or a nightmare. Either way, it was going to be an adventure.  
“You’re the same as ever, Bokuto,” Akaashi sighed.

“It’s nice to meet you…”  
I stared down at his outstretched hand.  
“Yuu!”  
“Nice to meet you, Yuu!” We shook.  
He turned to Akaashi excitedly. “You’re not doing anything right now, right, Akaashi?”  
“No, Bokuto.”  
He turned back to me. “And you, too, Yuu?”  
I gulped. “Free as a bird.”

We ended up walking to a restaurant not far from the stadium.  
“How did I look out there?!”  
“Just as Yuu said, Bokuto. Amazing.” I could almost hear the sigh in Akaashi’s voice.  
He turned to me suddenly.  
“So, Yuu, how did you like the game?”  
I hesitated. “It went so fast I felt like I was barely breathing. We were on the edge of our seats during the entire fourth set.”  
He laughed. “Sorry to worry you!”  
Akaashi held the door open and he motioned me inside.  
“Ladies first.”

“Sooo…what got you hooked on volleyball?”  
I jumped. Although we’d been sitting at the table for the last twenty minutes, I still couldn’t quite believe this was happening.  
I shot a glance at Akaashi to see if he’d already told him, then said, “Oh, you see…when I was in high school I was obsessed with a volleyball anime, and um…”  
“Ahhh! So? How do we stack up?” He looked genuinely curious.  
“You’re amazing! I’ve never seen an official game before.”  
“We were your first official game?” He looked flattered.  
I nodded.  
“Then I’m glad we won.”  
Akaashi took a sip out of his glass. “Anyway, Bokuto, how have you been?”  
He pouted. “You haven’t been coming to my matches recently.”  
“Yes…unfortunately I have to work.”  
“Yuu, you’re an editor too, right?”  
I nodded. “Akaashi caught me illicitly watching volleyball at my desk.”  
I saw Akaashi shake his head in my peripheral vision.  
“He has much more experience than I do, though,” I continued.  
“Hm…so two intellectuals!”  
“I wouldn’t exactly call us intellectuals, Bokuto.”  
As I watched Bokuto grin at a scowling Akaashi, I wondered if they’d always been like this.  
It looked nice.

We’d just managed to gloss over that incident when Bokuto gave us something else to think about.  
“So, Yuu, Akaashi…are you two together?”  
I looked over at Akaashi, not sure how to respond.  
“You know we met through work, Bokuto.”  
“I see…Yuu, why did you become an editor? I’ve already asked Akaashi.” One look told me he’d found that answer unsatisfactory.  
“To help people share the love they’ve poured into their creations…To help them achieve their dreams.”  
It slipped out before I could think it over properly. A beat too late, I added, “I guess.”  
He looked at me interestedly. “What about your dreams?”  
“Oh, um…” I was at a bit of a loss. After years of answering that question with work, now that I’d technically achieved it I wasn’t sure what to say.  
“Not necessarily career-related,” he added when he saw me struggling.  
I laughed. “That just made it even harder! I’m not sure, but…I truly do believe that we end up where we’re supposed to.”  
He nodded. “It’s hard when you’re right in the middle of things, but when you look back…everything falls into place.”  
He turned. “What do you think, Akaashi?”  
Akaashi startled. “I don’t know if I believe that things always work out…”  
Bokuto and I sighed. “So pessimistic!”  
He protested, “I think that people choose their own paths. They make their own fates.”  
“Bo-ring!”  
“I feel so responsible now,” I said. “So we met because I decided to watch a volleyball match one day? Not because we were destined to meet?”  
I saw Bokuto nod in my peripheral vision.  
“That does sound nice,” Akaashi begrudged.  
He looked at the two of us. “…I might reconsider.”

“In high school, Bokuto was about as moody as you can be.” The conversation had wandered a bit into the past. Was it just me or did Akaashi sound like he was enjoying this?  
“Akaashi!”  
“Oh?” I asked.  
“Once he was depressed because we were playing in the smaller stadium at Nationals.”  
“I wasn’t that depressed!” Bokuto chimed in.  
“Bokuto…you forgot how to shoot cross-shots.”

Akaashi turned back to me. “Sometimes we told him a pretty girl was watching him in the stands.”  
“I’m sure one was,” I said, but Bokuto shook his head.  
“I’m not sure I was much better, though,” Akaashi said suddenly. “I overthought on the court a lot. Too much analyzing.”  
“You were our best setter.” Bokuto looked so wounded it was as if he was the one who’d been criticized.  
Akaashi smiled. “Maybe.”

We were leaving the restaurant, Bokuto a few steps ahead, when he said, “I had a great time tonight!”  
Bokuto turned back. “Come see some of my other matches. I’ll get you free tickets. And Yuu…”  
He smiled.  
“Make sure Akaashi doesn’t work too hard.”

I was so startled that he was already walking away by the time I realized I hadn’t responded.  
“I will…” I said to his retreating back. I turned to Akaashi.  
“Don’t mind him-” he started to say.  
“Thank you for taking me to the match today.” I inclined my head a little, embarrassed.  
“Oh! It was…it was nothing.” A bit of a blush tinted his cheeks, and I was about to tease him when he coughed. “Um…Do you want to go again sometime?”

The next few months passed much the same way. Akaashi and I had lunch together, or we went to Bokuto’s matches. He didn’t always have time to meet with us afterwards, but we settled into an easy rhythm. At least, easy until…

I had a dream. It was one of those dreams without a plot that the mind seems so eager to plunge you into moments before you wake up.  
In it, we were laying close together. My head was on his shoulder and his arm was around me. We didn’t move or speak, but I felt-  
Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Bzzzt.  
My heart was racing when I hit my alarm.

I didn’t even try to get out of bed. I lay on my side and blinked at the blurry wall.  
Had I always felt like this? Of course, he was very nice, and smart, and handsome - basically, he was the whole package - but…Akaashi? A dream is just a dream, right?  
I buried my face in my hands.  
Remember when you were glad Tsuna was giving you your training instead of Akaashi? Because you knew you wouldn’t have been able to focus? my brain reminded me. “Low blow. Also, shut up,” I said to the ceiling.  
And then how he paid for your meals until you made him stop? it added.  
“Shut up!”  
And how he walks you home?  
“…”  
And how intense he looks when he’s really focused-  
“SHUT UP!”

“Yuu!” Ami opened the door. “Are you ok? What was that yelling?”  
I turned over. “I’m not ok.”  
She sat down on the other side of the bed.  
“What’s happening?”  
“It’s no good,” I muttered. “I was never supposed to…”  
I pivoted. “I mean, I’ve never thought about him like that.”  
“Like what?” she said blankly. Then, with the feeling that she was getting a question right in class - “Oh, Akaashi!”  
I buried my face under the covers.  
She laughed and shook me. “What’s so bad about that? I always told you if he ever wanted to take a break from editing he should become a model. Why don’t you go for it?”  
She tried to peel the blanket back and I finally did myself. My face was burning.  
“I can’t do this to him,” I said.  
“What do you mean? He’s not seeing anyone, is he?”  
I shook my head. “He just wouldn’t be interested.”  
“How do you know until you try!”  
“Stop laughing! This is so embarrassing.” I covered my face with my hands.  
“Ami, I can’t do it. He’s the best friend I have at work. If he turns me down I don’t think I’ll ever be able to speak to him again.” I rolled over. “I’d have to transfer.”  
“You’re. So. Pessimistic!”  
She poked me until I finally got up.

“Tsuna, do you ever have weird dreams about someone that makes it impossible to look at them the same way?” I asked furtively. I was stopping by her desk during lunch to get a second opinion.  
“You mean like w-”  
“No!” I said forcefully.  
I added a little more quietly, “Just like…a nice dream?”  
She stared. “Anyone in particular?”  
I must’ve taken too long to answer, because she nodded knowingly.  
“Ah, I see.” She hesitated. “If it’s who I think it is, I wouldn’t wait too long, because-”  
“Yuu?”  
I jumped.  
“Hi,” I said. “What’s up?”  
“Can we talk for a minute? Sorry, Tsuna,” Akaashi said.  
Tsuna waved him off.  
“Sure.” With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I followed him down the hall.

“You’re being transferred?” I gasped.  
He nodded.  
“To the literature department? Wait.” I rubbed my forehead. “Then isn’t this a promotion? You did originally want to be in the literature department.”  
“I put in the request a while ago. I didn’t know it would happen…right now, though,” he said.  
“What’s going to happen with your current project?”  
“It’s almost at an end, anyway. I’ll finish it up and then I’ll move.”  
“I can’t believe I haven’t said this yet, but congratulations!” I leaned in and gave him a tentative hug. “We’re going to miss you very much, obviously…um…”  
“Will you miss me?”  
I was looking over his shoulder, so I couldn’t see his face.  
“Yes, of course! I wish that we’d - I wish a lot of things. But I’m really happy for you.”  
I pulled away and didn’t look him in the eye.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said earlier, this was much harder for me to write than Bokuto’s, even though I originally imagined that it would be the other way around. There is slightly more angst (which barely qualifies for angst), but I hope you enjoy the ending! Now to the finish line!!!

Akaashi had a meeting during lunch, and for once I was grateful to be alone.  
I got into the elevator and pressed the top button.  
Was a dream really worth jeopardizing our relationship over? People have weird dreams all the time, right? I didn’t have to act on every one that made me look at someone differently…  
Ding.  
I stepped off and headed for the rooftop exit.

I’d eaten up here a lot when I first started working here. Well, barring the occasional volleyball match. The surrounding buildings looked so, so small. I walked closer to the fence. It wasn’t like anything would change, right? We’d just take another elevator ride during lunch? And it wasn’t like we were at the office all the time, either…  
But you know things will be different, a voice whispered. I turned away from the view.  
What if he stops making the trip?  
I sat down on the lone bench and looked out over the city.

What did I want from him? I wanted to spend time with him.  
No, it was more than that. I wanted to be with him. There was still so much I didn’t know - what made him tick, what he wanted out of life, why he’d become an editor. But I was afraid it was too late.

“What’s your prescription?” I asked.  
“My prescription?”  
I nodded. We’d been sitting at this same bench a few months earlier during another lunch break, and I’d finally gotten up the courage to ask. I’d never seen him without his glasses, either.  
“…” He took them off and gazed at them like they would tell him.  
“Not good…I’m pretty nearsighted.” He offered them to me and I squinted through them.  
“May I?” he said. I took mine off and handed them to him.  
I tried to look in the distance. Everything was hyper-, hyper-focused - it felt like all of the trees were rushing towards me at once.  
“Well, that confirms it!” I said, taking them off.  
I looked over and laughed when I saw him blinking owlishly through my frames.  
“You know, you look pretty good! Maybe we should match.”  
We traded back, and I held up a hand to stop him. “Wait! Let me see you without them for a minute.”  
Well, he looked as handsome as ever…  
“I didn’t always have glasses,” he said suddenly.  
“Really? But your prescription is so strong.”  
“I didn’t realize that I needed them until I was in college.”  
“That long?!”  
“Yes…I guess I never noticed.”

“Yuu?”  
I jumped, then turned guiltily back around.  
“I thought you had a meeting.”  
He sat down on the other side of the bench, not too close.  
“I did. It ended early.” He nodded to my untouched box.  
“Have you eaten yet?”  
“Oh, no. Ami made this for me.”  
I belatedly opened it. I noticed he hadn’t brought anything either.  
“What about you?” I asked at the same time he said, “What are you thinking about?”  
I paused.  
“I’m not hungry,” he said quickly, and I nodded.  
“Well…I was thinking about you, to be honest.” His eyes widened.  
“After you said you were transferring.”  
His next question caught me by surprise.  
“What do you wish…we’d done?”  
I stared, surprised that he’d remembered that part of our conversation.  
“I wish we’d had more time together.” I looked down at the container in my lap.  
“I really appreciate you taking me under your wing for so long.”  
He shook his head. “I like being with you.”  
The way that I like being with you?  
The question was on the tip of my tongue, but instead I closed my box and said, “We should probably head inside.”

“I think you’re being too dramatic about this,” Ami declared.  
We were sitting on the couch after work having a crisis management session. Ami had made little siren sounds as we’d sat down.  
“Yuu!” She socked me gently. “Just tell him! If he acts weird about it, you’ll never have to see him again!”  
“That’s exactly it. I’d rather just stay as we are now than risk it.”  
I could feel another “Bo-ring!” coming, so to forestall it I said, “Do you think we should hold a farewell party?”  
She changed tracks reluctantly. “Oh, true. He is getting promoted…”  
She clapped. “Great! Tell him then.”  
“Ami! I am not telling him! He’ll be surrounded at all times, anyway.”  
“Com-muni-cation, Yuu!!!” She reached out and took my hand. “Just say it like this - Akaashi, I need to talk to you.”  
I pulled my hand away and stood up. “I won’t tell him, but I’ll do the party.”  
“Think it over! I don’t think the situation’s as dire as you think,” she called.  
I shut the door behind me.

Over the next few weeks, I tried to act as normally as I could while harboring two major secrets. One, the party. Two, well…  
“You’ve been a bit distracted,” Udai said. We’d met a while ago, and I’d even seen his studio! It was still mind-boggling that Akaashi had introduced me to such talented people.  
“I definitely am,” I laughed. “I’ve spent so much time with him it’s hard to think about him leaving. Do you think this is enough cups?” I took a stack of fifty from the shelf. We definitely wouldn’t have fifty guests, but if people displaced them-  
“Yes, I think that should be enough.”  
I happily placed them in the cart.  
“Thanks for shopping with me. I know it’s a little mundane.”  
He shook his head. “I want to help. Mainly, I’m glad that Akaashi’s finally opening up.”  
I glanced at him, surprised. “Opening up?”  
“He’s always been really self-contained. It’s hard to discover what’s important to him.”  
I gasped. “I noticed that, too!”  
“But he’s been a little different since he met you. He talks more. He lets people in.” He hesitated. “I don’t think that will change just because he moves departments.”  
I stared, not sure I deserved this. “I still feel like I don’t know anything. At least not the important things.”  
He nodded. “I think that he just needs to take it slow. So…”  
He smiled. “Don’t stop.”

“Oh my gosh! I forgot the manuscript!” It was my first time acting in a while, and I internally sighed. Not getting any acting deals with this one.   
Please buy it, please buy it, I prayed. I snuck a quick glance at Akaashi, who thankfully looked surprised.  
“Oh! Then let’s go back and get it.”  
All right!  
I apologized profusely as we rode the elevator back to our floor.  
“I’m sorry, I’ve been really distracted lately.”  
“Yes, I was wondering if…maybe…” He paused, and I stopped breathing. I’d been wishing the elevator would go faster, but I suddenly found myself wishing it would stop. Maybe if he turned me down quickly-  
“SURPRISE!” The elevator doors slid open to reveal the entire office waiting for us, popping poppers or waving streamers.  
Now, that was an appropriate shocked face!  
I smiled as I gave him a gentle push. “It’s your time to shine.”

As expected, he was surrounded nearly the entire night by old colleagues, editors, and artists. We’d actually gotten a pretty good crowd together! Udai and I congratulated ourselves near the drinks.  
Tsuna finally got ahold of me near the desk we’d converted into a snack table.  
“Yuu, I was wondering-” She looked like she was having a blast and laughed when I had to lean closer. “Are you ever going to tell him?”  
“Oh, um…” I looked nervously at Akaashi, who had just disentangled himself from talking to the boss and looked like he might be heading this way.  
“You know, it was just a dream, after all. Excuse me.” I set down my cup and prepared to slip further into the crowd.  
“Wait!” She caught hold of my arm. “When your feelings are that strong…you have to act on them!”  
She held my gaze with a startling intensity. I almost removed my arm, then stopped.  
“What if I can’t?” I whispered.  
Then as he came towards us, I disengaged her hand and left for real.

Overall, the party was a success. It was a fitting end to a good two years in the office. Everyone would miss him, and everyone knew he would do well in his next job. Everyone was sad to see him go.

One by one, our coworkers trickled out until it was just me and Akaashi. Udai had gotten a phone call, so I waved him off. “I’ll be fine,” I’d said, but I was starting to wonder if that was true.  
“You can go home now, you know.” I’d meant it kindly, but it came out irritated. He raised his eyebrows as he deposited yet another cup into the bag I held open.  
“You worked so hard for this party. The least I can do is clean up,” he said mildly.  
This was bad. We’d never argued before.  
Was this arguing? I abruptly set the bag down and headed for another desk.  
Was I really mad at him? I didn’t want to be angry that he’d achieved his goals.  
Or was I just sad? I couldn’t seriously expect everything to stay the same once he left…  
A little too late, I realized that I was standing over my own desk. At a loss for decorations, I’d hung up the obligatory staff photo.  
I picked it up. Akaashi was standing a little in front while I was a row behind. But they’d taken the picture too early: I was smiling at him, not at the camera.  
A wet spot bloomed onto the picture.

“Yuu?”  
I turned around.  
I don’t know what happened, but he came over quickly.  
“Are you all right?”  
“Hm?”  
“You’re crying.” He raised a hand, then hesitated and withdrew it.  
I wiped it away on my own. “I’m fine.”  
I took one last look at the picture before setting it down. “Um-”  
“Yuu…I’ll still be here. I’m just moving to a different floor,” he said anxiously.  
“All of this was over…a different FLOOR?” The situation was so ridiculous that I laughed out loud. Why had I never thought to ask before? And here I was thinking that he’d move buildings, maybe even cities…  
“All right.” I wiped my face and almost smiled. “Everything will be the same.”  
He suddenly got an odd look in his eyes.  
“What if…” he began.  
I stared.  
“What if I don’t want things to be the same?”  
I felt like my heart was being crushed.  
Then he leaned in and kissed me.

“I don’t want things to be the same,” he said earnestly. “I want them to be better.”  
I searched his face. There were so many things I wanted to say but couldn’t. I didn’t think I’d be able to speak for at least a few years.  
Perhaps mistaking my silence, he blushed and said, “Unless that’s not your definition of better. I’m sorry, Yuu, I should have-”  
I kissed him so suddenly a few cups rolled off the desk and bounced onto the floor.  
Our glasses were definitely getting in the way, but I didn’t mind.  
As we pulled away, I said, “Why didn’t you ever say anything? I never knew why you hung around with me for so long.” I felt like crying again, but this time for a very different reason. Was it relief?  
He looked at me wonderingly. “I wasn’t sure how you felt. I didn’t want to be unprofessional.”  
Unprofessional?!  
I stared. “I was devastated when I heard you were moving. I’d just realized, and I thought it was too late.”  
He nodded. “It was a bit earlier for me. I liked you ever since I saw you watching the match that day.”  
“Wow.” I looked into his eyes. “Your standards are very…low.”  
“It’s not - ah…” It was rare to see him at a loss for words, and I laughed as I leaned in to kiss him again.  
“Feel free to be as unprofessional as you want.”

“Not very suitable for work, huh?” he joked as he picked up the remaining cups. We were finally finishing cleaning up.  
I squeezed his hand.  
“It’s too bad you don’t work here anymore.”  
He winced. “Low blow.”  
As he tied the bag shut, he sighed. “I’m glad, though. I’m not sure when I would have told you otherwise.”  
“Oh! So you would never have told me?” I asked. I didn’t know if that reflected well on us. Were his feelings not that strong, or-?  
“Well, I don’t know about never. It’s hard for me to…I don’t want to burden people, I guess. It’s too much.”  
“Too much?!?!” How could he ever think that?  
“Akaashi, it’s ok to rely on other people - because they rely on you. It’s not a one-way street.” I bit my lip, aware that I was lecturing. Ah, well. We all needed to hear it sometimes.  
“Anyway, I want to know all about you.” I was blushing, so I looked away.  
He took my hand. “Want to start?”

As we turned off the lights behind us, the office didn’t seem as lonely as usual.  
We laughed as we raced down the stairs and into the street.

We’d made it.  
As the late morning sun seeped through the blinds, I lifted my head to look at Akaashi, still sleeping peacefully. This was better than a million dreams.  
He opened his eyes slowly and I laughed.  
“I always had you down as an early riser,” I joked. The clock on the nightstand, however, read well past eleven.  
He smiled at that. “I don’t like to wake up from dreams.”  
I nestled my head further onto his shoulder and said, “Me neither.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HURRAH! 2/2 WOOHOO!!! This was a more emotionally-charged storyline than Bokuto's and covers a much narrower range of Akaashi's and Yuu's relationship, but I enjoyed challenging myself with a different kind of story. I may continue to add single chapters (looking at Akaashi’s birthday coming up!), but I hope you enjoyed this short series. As always, stay safe and stay reading!!!  
> From,  
> 104


	3. Chapter 3

“What did you get him?” Bokuto asked brightly. We were standing in the hallway outside of Akaashi’s apartment. He’d waved me down cheerfully at the entrance to the building, and we’d walked up together.  
I looked down at the bags in my hands. “Um…”  
What were you supposed to get your…your boyfriend?  
My presents seemed silly now.  
“It’s a surprise,” I said. Maybe I’d get lucky and Akaashi wouldn’t open them in front of everyone.  
Bokuto pouted. “But I already told you what I got him!”  
I laughed. “I can’t tell you! It’s embarrassing.”  
And I’d almost gotten him a fancy pen.  
“You guys are still outside?”  
Bokuto and I turned to see Udai hurrying towards us out of breath.  
“We haven’t knocked yet. We’re comparing presents!”  
“What did you get him?” Udai asked grimly. “I got him a pen. Running low on inspiration.”  
I’d just opened my mouth when at that exact moment the door swung open and Akaashi looked out at us, surprised. “I thought I heard someone.”  
“Hey!” Bokuto thrust his presents at him. “Happy birthday!”

Akaashi had made us (had made US!!!) dinner, and the rest of us sat down awkwardly at the table while he finished preparing it.  
“I feel so bad,” Bokuto groaned. “I would have picked up something if I’d known.”  
“Don’t worry about it.” Akaashi set down a steaming plate in front of him. “I was looking forward to this.”  
“Still…cooking on your own birthday,” Udai sighed.  
“I agree with Bokuto,” I said, eyeing the food coming my way guiltily. “I mean, my cooking might give you food poisoning, but…”  
Akaashi slapped his plate down with a note of finality. “Let’s eat.”

“Any new resolutions?” Bokuto asked. “Another year, another year older, you know.” Both Bokuto and Udai grinned at him wickedly.  
He didn’t take the bait. “This year has made me realize what really matters. Good friends, and…others.” He hesitated.  
“Well, I have to agree with that,” Bokuto said.  
Ukai interjected, “How’s work going?”  
“It’s going pretty well. Definitely a very different environment.”  
“Better or worse?”  
I sighed. “The manga department misses you. Every day Tsuna complains about losing the view.”  
“The view?”  
“You!” I stuck my tongue out. “You were our biggest draw. Now no one ever visits our floor anymore.”  
He looked surprised. “People used to visit?”  
“Akaashi!” Udai and I exclaimed.  
“Why do you think our department got so many gifts?” Udai grumbled. “It wasn’t the fans of Zombie Knight Zomb’ish, that’s for sure.”  
“And why everyone was always using our printer,” I muttered darkly. “They threatened to stop funding it.”  
“Girls used to come to watch him in matches, too,” Bokuto chimed in.  
“No, they didn’t,” Akaashi said quickly, but Bokuto nodded vigorously. “It’s true! Just ask Yukie-”  
“ENOUGH! I take it back.” Akaashi put his face in his hands. “You three are taking a year OFF of my life.”

“Aha! I did come in handy for this one.” I went to the fridge and took out the pastry box, then stuck a few candles into the icing.  
“Do you have a lighter?”  
He nodded and started to stand up. “Sit down,” I commanded, and he reluctantly pointed to a drawer.  
I started over. “Happy birthday to youuu, happy birthday to youuu, happy birthday dear Akaaashi…” I heard a particularly prolonged A from Bokuto.  
“Happy birthday to you.” He gazed at the candles pensively, then blew them out in a quick burst.  
Udai clapped, and Akaashi got up from the table to get the plates despite our protests.  
“Always the host, always the host,” Bokuto sighed, then immediately transitioned into, “So what did you wish for?”  
“You can’t ask!” I gasped. “It won’t come true.”  
Udai was already digging into his cake. “Every year I wish for Zombie Knight Zomb’ish to become an overnight sensation. It hasn’t happened yet, so I’m not sure if there’s any point keeping it to yourself.”  
Akaashi looked like he was about to respond, so I shook my head. “I have a good feeling about this one. Tell us next year.”  
“All right,” he begrudged. “But I think it’ll come true.”

The dreaded present-opening time! I was glad when he started with Bokuto’s.  
He opened the card, which had an original owl drawn on it, then found the gift card. “Ahhh!”  
He turned to me. “Yuu, have you had Onigiri Miya?”  
I shook my head. “I’ve never heard of it.”  
“Let’s go sometime.” He opened Bokuto’s second gift and pulled out a scarf. Surprisingly for Bokuto, it was a demure brown! I felt it admiringly.  
“Sorry it isn’t much,” Udai said sheepishly, handing him the box.  
Thank god Ami beat some sense into me, I thought as he opened it.  
“Thank you!” He looked surprised, and touched. On second thought, maybe a pen would have been better…  
“I just know I’m going to be using this on Bokuto’s tax forms,” he sighed.  
Bokuto grinned. “Looking forward to it!”  
It was my turn. I almost felt embarrassed as I handed the first bag to him. What had my card said again? Something sappy. I tried not to blush.  
He looked like he was going to say something then, but I nodded to the present first. He slowly pulled out the electric blanket. Okay, maybe that had been a bit random…  
“It’s getting colder,” I said lamely, and froze when he wrapped me in a hug.  
“No fair! Where were our hugs?” I heard someone (ok, I knew it was Bokuto) say, but my heart was pounding too loudly in my chest to hear it clearly.  
He released me. “Thank you, Yuu.”  
“There’s also this.” I felt a bit tongue-tied but offered him the second, smaller bag.  
He reached in and took out a small disposable camera.  
“It’s a good exercise to physically photograph things that are important to you.” Geez, how did I come UP with this stuff? I continued on. “I want to know more about what makes you happy. So, when you see something you want to remember, whether it’s a match, or a sunset, or onigiri…”  
He had an odd look on his face. “Stand up,” he directed at all of us.  
Stand up? We looked at each other but complied.  
“Closer together.” We shuffled in, and he raised the camera.  
“Smile!” Looking at his, it was impossible not to.

Udai was the first to leave. “I’m behind on my manuscript,” he explained, hugging Akaashi goodbye before dashing out the door.  
“See you at w-” He grimaced and rounded the corner.  
“It has only been a few weeks,” I said to Akaashi.

Bokuto, Akaashi, and I shot the breeze for a while in the living room. The topic? How oblivious Akaashi had been not to know that he was a main target of gifts both from our team and our office!  
“That red velvet cake they used to send around Christmas,” I sighed. “Not this year.”  
“I don’t think that was because of me,” Akaashi protested.  
“And the secretaries buying ‘too much’ food?” I rest my face in my hand. “You know, I don’t even think your promotion covered all of the gifts you brought us. I think you actually took a financial loss!”  
“And all that chocolate we got on White Day,” Bokuto interjected. “You can’t seriously have thought that was all for ‘the volleyball team!’” “I think you two are giving me too much credit.” He smiled and closed his eyes.  
“All right. I think I should get going.” Bokuto stood up and pulled on his coat. “I do hope you had a good birthday. I’m looking forward to many more.”  
He suddenly locked eyes with me. “Yuu, I told you not to let him work too hard.”  
I startled. Had I even kept that promise? All the way back from when we first met?  
“Keep it up.” He smiled and then he was gone.  
I looked at Akaashi.  
“Well? It’s been quite a year…”  
His eyes were still closed as he leaned against the couch. We’d tired him out, I thought fondly.  
I was about to excuse myself when they opened again and he nodded to the electric blanket. “Want to try it out?”

I was nervous as I followed him down the hall. It hadn’t been that long, but besides that first night he hadn’t stayed over. And that hadn’t been much to speak of - we’d just conked out.  
I held my breath as he opened the door.  
The walls and bedspread were white, and there was a small desk with a scatter of papers on it in the corner. He dropped the blanket onto the bed and looked around like he was seeing it for the first time. “It’s a little bare.”  
“I like it! It’s very neat.” I wondered if he remembered my own bedroom. It had been dark, right?  
“Um…” I looked back at the comforter. “I’ve never used one of these before, so I got super excited when I saw it. I guess you plug it into an outlet and just let it heat up?”  
He bent down and plugged it into an outlet. I continued looking around.  
“Oh! When was this?” It was a picture of Akaashi and Bokuto, who was grinning in his Black Jackals uniform. However, they didn’t look to be in a stadium.  
He came over. “Which one?”  
He smiled as he looked at it. “That was after his first game. He was so excited.”  
“Akaashi, did you ever want to go into volleyball?” As soon as I said it, I wished I hadn’t. Thankfully, he didn’t seem offended.  
He shook his head. “No. I had other dreams.”  
The blanket beeped.  
“That was really quick.” Maybe as an excuse, I walked over to check it. A green light blinked, Ready!  
“How do you want to-?” I began, but he was already pulling the covers back.  
And I’d never thought that getting him a blanket would be a little…SUSPICIOUS?  
We climbed in and he draped it over us. I sat with my back against the headboard.  
I had to admit, the blanket was really nice. I’d told the truth earlier: it was getting colder.  
“Your hands are cold.” He said it so suddenly it almost didn’t register.  
“What?” He took one of them and pressed it between his palms.  
OH! My face heated up.  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean this with any ulterior motives or anything.” I almost pulled my hand away, but the feeling was too nice.  
He raised his eyebrows. “I wish you had.”  
I looked away. “Yes, this was all part of my master plan…buy you an electric blanket so that we could cuddle.”  
He laughed. “You don’t need an electric blanket for that.”  
I took my hand away this time. “Stop! You’re so embarrassing. I don’t know what you mean.”  
When I finally looked up, he was staring fixedly back at me. “I always say what I mean.”  
“Ok, fine. I get it.” I cupped my hand around the back of his neck.  
It was a very, very warm kiss.

“Do you want to stay?” he whispered.  
I nodded, then looked down at the electric blanket.  
“I don’t know if we can plug this in for that long. It might set your apartment on fire.”  
“Good point. I’ll unplug it after you fall asleep.”  
I laughed. “What if you fall asleep first?”  
“I’ll make sure.”  
As I was drifting away, I thought I heard the click of a disposable camera.  
When he climbed back into bed, I nestled closer to the source of heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe it’s just because I’m reading this super late, but I don’t know if it comes across the way I meant it to! Ahhh, anyway. I don’t have any more chapters planned for Akaashi at the moment, so thank you for reading this fic in its entirety! As always, happy birthday, Akaashi. :)  
> From,  
> 104

**Author's Note:**

> For some reason, Akaashi’s story really threw me for a loop! By comparison, Bokuto’s was very easy. I think it’s because I couldn’t think of a realistic way that Akaashi and Yuu would confess their feelings, so I had to up the stakes a bit. One more chapter to go (I swear it will get more romantic then)!


End file.
